July offers rare meteor shower combo, stunning views of the Milky Way
In this 30 second exposure, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower (2021) as seen in Spruce Knob, W.V. During summer, the nighttime side of Earth faces the galactic core, making the Milky Way more vivid than at any other time of year. File NASA Photo by Bill Ingalls | License Photo
July will kick off with colorful flashes of light during Independence Day celebrations across the United States, but the cosmos has a light show of its own in store for stargazers later in the month, along with a few other celestial sights.
From a weather-inspired full moon to a pair of meteor showers, here are the top astronomy events to mark on your calendar:
Thunder Moon: July 10
The first full moon of astronomical summer will rise on Thursday, July 10. Known as the Thunder Moon, this lunar event will be visible across much of the world.
The name "Thunder Moon" comes from the frequent thunderstorms that rumble across North America in July. It's also called the Buck Moon, as deer antlers are growing rapidly ahead of the autumn rut.
Look for the full moon rising in the southeastern sky around nightfall. It will shine brightly all night before setting in the southwest near daybreak.
Milky Way: Late July
July has some of the shortest nights of the entire year north of the equator, but while this can make for poor stargazing conditions, skywatchers look forward to the summer nights to see amazing views of the Milky Way.
During summer, the nighttime side of Earth faces the galactic core, making the Milky Way more vivid than at any other time of year.
Plan to stargaze around the new moon on July 24 and head to a dark location far from city lights, as light pollution can easily wash out the galaxy's faint glow.
July 29-30: 2 meteor showers in 1 night
An astronomical doubleheader will light up the sky on the night of Tuesday, July 29, into the early morning of Wednesday, July 30, as two meteor showers peak at the same time: the Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids, according to the American Meteor Society (AMS).
The two will combine for 20-30 meteors per hour, including the chance for some incredibly bright meteors known as fireballs.
While July 29-30 is expected to be the best night, the AMS says both showers will be active for around a week, making any night during the end of July and start of August a good time to step outside and look for shooting stars.
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